Wanted Dead or Alive
by WhatifStoryTeller
Summary: Luka (fem!Luffy), the new Pirate King, has gotten sickly. There is not much she can do in her short lifespan other than watch her crew members fulfill their dreams. The bad thing is she hasn't told anyone of the news and made a deal with the marines. This story focuses on Luka's final days before execution. This is an reboot of Wanted Woman. Character Death Fem!Luffy slight LuLaw
1. Chapter 1

**Re-update!**

The woman stepped inside of the castle, glancing up at the ajar door, where a withered bird's nest rested. Seeing as how nothing was there anymore, she slipped through. Her steps echoed off the brick walls of the long hallway. Candles were lit in each column, yet the light was faint, leaving the woman to search with her foot to avoid any fallen ramble.

She was alone, leaving her friends guarding the ship with their lives; always with their lives. And though she had friends, there was a deeper feeling of loneness that filled her stomach.

Where is this woman heading?

She was heading to a savior, who saved several lives on her very own ship already, and was the mentor of her dearest doctor on the ship. This savior was an old hag, a witch, a grandma who was 149 years old. It was Kureha.

The most wanted woman in the world required something she could only ask from Kureha, not from Chopper or any other doctors she could name of. It was a task that couldn't involve her friends.

The floor under her foot crept. Surely by now the residents of this castle would have noticed her presence, but no one came out to check.

This woman, if you couldn't tell by now, was Strawhat Luka, or the new Pirate King of this Era. She was the captain of the Strawhat Pirates, who had nine crew members: Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, Cat Burglar Nami, Sniper King Sogeking, Black Leg Sanji, Cotton Candy Lover Chopper, Devil Child Nico Robin, Cyborg Franky, and Humming Brook. These were the infamous Strawhats, always hunted by marines yet they were the most freest in the seas.

Luka slowly creped down the hallways, now hearing the Isshi-20 on the other side of the walls unlike before. She chose to meet with the doctor past midnight, where most of her crew members and the villagers of this island were in bed. If anyone knew of her presence, then the whole island would be in trouble with the marines, and she would be in trouble with her friends. Though she was uncertain if Robin or Brook noticed her disappearance; Brook was on patrol and Robin usually spent majority of the night with the gentlemen over a glass of tea and coffee.

The hall turned slightly to the left, ending at a stairwell. Knowing a little bit of the castle from her last visit, this stairwell would lead to Kureha's private quarters. Each step that Luka took echoed off the walls until she took the final step on the stony staircase. To her left was an opened door with an examining table and to her right was two wooden doors. She headed to the second, turned the knobbed, and pushed the door open, then realizing she been holding her breath.

First thing her hazel eyes saw from the room were hangings that showed creepy imagines, cabinets filled with disgusting creatures, round objects, quills, random jars filled with liquids, and what seemed to be hundreds of books. The empty bed was lying against the opposite wall, between two tall windows that allowed light into the room. The person who was suppose to be asleep was on the couch across from a chair.

"Took a detour getting' here?" the hag muttered, slipping some liquid from a nearby cup, something Luka could only guess was filled with alcohol. Kureha was still in her normal clothes instead of night clothes, meaning she was ready for business.

Luka was taken aback by that, "You knew?" Her voice was deeper than from when she first began her journey. Actually, she changed drastically from the outside, yet still remaining a nimrod. Since becoming the Pirate King, she developed in several places and had battle marks lining her body from her share of years out on the sea. She wasn't the same girl who punched herself in the face because of recoil, or the same one who gotten her head stuck in a bird's mouth. Too much was lost, too many mistakes were made.

"Came to ask me about my eternal youth, bout time you did. Well, too bad for ya!" It came out with a crackled laugh. "Don't you know, girl, could smell you islands away with all of that trouble you bring along."

Though Luka has changed since she began, she was still a troublemaker. She almost burnt the last island by practicing her shooting skills; next time she's leaving that to Usopp. "I didn't mean to cause that fire."

"Well, it gotten some work for the Isshi-20, so you got that goin' on." She took another gulp of her drink, pointing to the chair across from her. Luka took the seat, and sat cross-legged. Kureha raised her glass, looking straight at the girl, "Why you come? Shouldn't ya be causin' trouble elsewhere?"

She paused before saying a word. This has been on her mind since her visit to her home island. "I'm not well; this may be my final checkup."

Kureha stared at her for a second before lifting up to get another cup and filled it with her specialty. She placed it down in front of the girl and paced around, "Only you and not the others?" It could be seen that she was mainly talking about Chopper's health.

"I looked into Chopper's books; all of them have shown to be healthy."

"And that kid hasn't noticed that about you?"

"Been avoiding him for the last six months." She raised her sleeve up, where her skin was started to turn into a ghastly color of purple and green. It stopped a little before her sleeve ended, but her whole shoulder was covered. "And this started three months ago."

"So you believe you're dying and nothin' can be done? Not by me or Chopper?"

Luka nodded, "He will be heartbroken."

"And you will be dead. They will resent ya for keepin' your mouth shut on that."

"And I made a deal with Coby."

Kureha took a moment to register that. She wasn't much into the dealings of the government, but she did hear about this Coby kid before, the new Admiral. Which could only mean one thing; something that caused Kureha's stomach to wrenched. "You got this all planned out."

She nodded, "And afterwards, no one will chase them for their bounties."

The old woman understood painfully, under her breath she muttered, "Why does everyone who's gotta die come to me?" She shook her head and asked, "When?"

"I say that I would go when I felt like it." In her mind, she was thinking about waiting until Nami finished her last map. The navigator say it would take a month if they went back through the Grandline and took every detour.

"Why did you come to me then? You got it all planned out, so what do I got to do with anythin'?"

"I want to know how long I do have left."

"And what if by chances I do find out that you have years until death? Or that you're worrying over something minor?"

Luka shrugged, "I don't know how, but I feel like this is the end."

"Come on, then," Kureha stood up and headed into the examining room. Luka took her stop on the metal table and leaned back. Her eyes closed, leaving the picture of the ceiling and Kureha's concerned eyes as she pressed the needle into her arm.

When she opened her eyes back up, the doctor was hunched over a microscope. The captain looked down at herself, noticing all of the bandages over the needle points, from her stained shoulder, to both hands, and one close to her waist. Each point was sore, and not to mention that her shoulder was already sore in the first place.

"Nine weeks," the old lady said, barely looking at the girl. "It starts from your shoulder and spreads down to your arm, leaving that useless to ya in a few weeks, or days. And it's spreadin' across your body, either killing you by infecting your heart or taking out your weak points, your limbs, one by one."

Luka sighed, staring at her shoulder, "And I like having my arms."

"Whatever this is, it's rapidly damagin' your insides." She shook her head, "If it was taken care of at the first stages, then maybe you could have been saved."

"Thanks," she said, getting up from the table.

"Don't rush it and you could live a few more weeks." The witch paused for a second, "Don't think that your crew members are weak to take this news. Leaving them in the dark isn't gonna help them."

She nodded and left the room.

 **I'm getting back into my stories by re-writing the old. So welcome back! And those who just first heard about this, bring the tissues!**


	2. Chapter 2

Nami reached forward grabbing the knob to Sanji's paradise on the Thousand Sunny. Yet inside of the causal feeling she always felt when entering, her nerves were on alert. This wasn't the normal dinner where there would be laughter and jokes all about, but a special meeting hidden from their captain's eyes.

She gulped before pressed the door open, immediately greeted by the chef with a tray of desserts. Those sweets felt strange in this time and place, she kindly dejected them and headed past him.

Sanji with his shoulders slumped looked at the others, "Shitty boys," he added venom in his voice, "Here." He placed the tray down and hands started grabbing them. The chef didn't want to waste them since neither Robin nor Nami wanted a taste.

Brook quickly ate his whole, while the other two, Chopper and Usopp, only nibbled on it. Both were nervous about this discussion, feeling is completely wrong to do so in the first place.

Zoro stepped out from the corner with shadows covering his eyes. He looked at each one of them, wishing he was elsewhere. "Can we start now?"

Yet there was silence, no one knew how to start this discussion, and slowly the eyes started to turn to Nami, who was the first to organize this. She coughed into her hand and glanced around, before giving up. "We all came here concerning with Luka. Something has been up, and I don't like it. It's like she's been keeping secrets from us. This is why everyone's here." She took a breath, "We have been together for years, and something is definitely wrong."

Usopp slowly nodded at her words, "I don't think I have ever seen her like this." And he has known her for close to a decade.

Nami nodded, she too felt the same. She lifted up from her seat and crossed the room to a board that Franky fashioned for this meeting. She raised a pen to the middle of the board, glancing back. "When did you start noticing something was off?" She looked at Zoro first, since he was the first mate.

"Months ago, you know, when she started sleeping in her own room."

Usopp was next, he answered with, "Like three months ago." She waited on him to finish, "Well, when she kept running off out of nowhere. I just thought it was to the bathroom for that…monthly thing." He was trying to indicate something about that time of the month. He quickly scratched his hear, hoping to avoid the looks that he thought he was getting for a stupid answer.

Nami nodded, going to write it down before Robin spoke up. "Luka-san has been more abrupt since we left Drum Island. I can't help by believe that something must have happened when we weren't around."

"Drum Island?" Chopper's voice squeaked up, trying to think of all of the possibilities that could have happened on his home island. "We didn't stay there long, though."

"Hm," the noise came from Zoro's throat, "When we meet with Dalton, nothing upsetting was say or done. After that, we headed back to the ship before seeing that old hag."

"And that wasn't strange either," Chopper said.

"Anyone notice anything else that happened on that island?" Zoro looking around. When they went to Drum Island, only a few people went on land, Chopper, Sanji, Luka, Robin, and himself. He was pressing the question to those who stayed behind.

Usopp only shook his head. When the group left, everyone stayed on the shore and just hanged out. Another group followed them into the small town, just to see how Chopper's home island was like, but otherwise nothing happened that he could think of.

Brook raised a finger, "Oh my…"

Everyone's attention was on him now, wondering what the skeleton had to say, yet he only stayed there with an opened mouth. "Brook? What? What was that?" Chopper shook the bag of bones.

"I made a mistake," he gotten up from his seat and started to pace the room, gaining more attention from the crew yet he still gave them no answers.

"Brook," Nami said impatiently.

Finally he nodded and re-seated himself, "On my night shift, I heard a noise. Well, I wasn't for certain if I did or it was my imagination. I only checked the deck at the time, yet I missed whatever caused that noise, so I went back and forgotten about that until now. It's probably connected to Luka someway."

"Nice, we got a lead," Franky spoke out.

Usopp gave a small nod, but this didn't raise his hopes any. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"We know that Luka's behaviors had something to do with Drum Island now."

Zoro shook his head, "She started acting strange before Drum Island."

"She has always been strange," Franky stated, "But he's right."

On the board, Nami wrote Drum Island in big letters, with a line sticking out that pointed to Noise at Nighttime. She moved back to look at Brook, "You didn't check the beds afterwards?"

"No, I headed back to the post. I was alert for the rest of the time, waiting to hear that sound again. Yet it didn't happen."

Robin took the information in, "She must have gone during his shift and came back later into the night, sometime during Sanji's shift, or when the two were switching."

"You're saying she left the ship?" Usopp's head snapped to her direction.

"That's the only clue we have so far, it would make sense for her to leave the ship at night than to sneak around the ship for an unknown purpose."

Sanji scratched his chin. Even if they spent all night on this subject, none of them would know what happened on that island with Luka. None of them were there with her. "Should we send a letter to Dalton? Or switch the course?"

"We could, but going back may be out of the question until the weather returns back to normal." While they were going back, they were ambushed with a storm from Little Garden. They were now on the course to the East Blue, something Luka was very upfront about. Everyone just thought she wanted to return home after all of those years.

Nami paused in mid-thought. "It could have been an important event to her."

Once again, Usopp was quick to say something. "We have been together for years; she has never shown any interest in the dates."

"We are returning to East Blue. She hasn't been home for years. Maybe, just maybe, she's going down memory lane?"

"Such as…thinking about Ace?"

Everyone paused when that word came out of Usopp's mouth. Though no one said it out loud, that word was a taboo. When they returned back from their training, no one say a word and neither did her. No one wanted to reopen those scarred wounds, even though they were right by her if she needed a shoulder to cry on. With Luka, it was unknown how she handled it, with remembering his name and such.

Everyone on this ship was helped by Luka and whatever gang she had at the time. Yet no one was actually responsible in helping her through her grief.

"Guess we will see what happens soon," Zoro added, sighing for how hopeless this felt. "For now, we can only wait. And watch."


	3. Chapter 3

A ripple of coughing echoed from the second room to the right, the captain's quarters. She was inside, trying to keep herself under control so that others wouldn't hear. From her knowledge, no one suspected a thing and she wanted to keep it that way. She pressed herself in the corner of the room, her arm over her mouth, and a strained face as her shoulder sent tingles of pain throughout her body.

On her bed were a single letter and a ripped envelope. It came from one of her ally ships, the Heart Pirates. Yet the letter wasn't formal and informative, more so concerned and blunt. That was how Trafalgar Law writes whenever it was connected to her. Usually Nami would have gotten the letters first and read them her, yet the front side of the envelope read: "Monkey D. Luka. Only." And Nami made sure it gotten into her hands only.

Law knew well about her suffering, unlike Chopper and the crew. When she first started feeling down, he was the first person she went to, and she made him promise to keep this to himself, and not anyone on her crew. They didn't have the same relationship as she had with her crew members. Maybe that was what brought her into telling him. Some would say they were romantically involved.  
Yet when she started reading the letter, she felt a pint of regret for even bringing him into this mess.

On the backside, there was another small paragraph written by Penguin. It was a complete contrast from Law's letter, as it was only talking about Law's condition. Law's letter was about home remedial to dial down the pain, which was the most that he could offer at this point. And Penguin's letter talked about how Law has kept himself in a drunken state for the last three months, hunching over medical books and shutting the crew out of his office. That he sneaked in to write this in hopes of having Luka visiting them to slap some sense into his captain.

She had no idea.

She gripped her shoulder as if to make the pain her own punishment.

This has only solidified her reasoning about not telling her crew. The captain could only imagine what Chopper reaction would be.

Her stomach shifted, and she hopped up from the ground and went running to her master bathroom. She knelt in front of the toilet and felt it coming up. Then she washed the sour taste out of her mouth several times. Finally she exited the bathroom and seated herself on the bed, throwing the letter onto the nightstand.

And this was when she decided to go through with it.

Luka was only getting worst each day, and it was slowly affecting everyone, with Law being the best example. She held a strong hope, telling herself no one suspected a thing, but whenever she left her room, she felt like they were watching her every footstep. She couldn't deny that fact.

Everyone was too happy, feeling proud that they made it to this point, so close to finishing their goals. It took them several years, but they were finally the grandest crew on the sea with their names written down in history. She stayed as long as she could, seeing their dreams come realities, and so she finally felt it was time to get this whole marine business over with once and for all.  
That morning, she woke up early, waiting for the mail carrying bird to appear. When it did, she stuffed two letters in the snatch, sending a reply back to Law and another letter for a meeting. …

There was a lot she could have done to say goodbye in a different way, but no longer how much she mauled over it, she finally came to her decision. Through the last months, she has been heading from one sea port to the other. To all all of the places she once battled or visited. And now they were in Alabasta, standing on the high walls and looking down at the citizens, some of whom remembered her noble deed and started a wave of gossip. Such of their fair lady going rogue for a small adventure, that the pirate's noble chef has sweeten their lady's favor and perhaps advancing their friendship, or they are thinking that they came once more to defeat another threat that plagues the land. No matter how much Queen Vivi tried over and over again to quiet such rumors, as she does have an island to govern and their negotiates with others in the colonies. Such talk does get others hyped up.

Queen Vivi, ruling the lands with a small council since the passing of her beloved father. Each city had a representative in the council, as well as several other members, such as her ex-butler and childhood friend.

Luka moved away from the wall and headed back into the castle, where the scent of the grand feast started filling the halls. By the time she gotten there, everyone else was seated even though there was still dishes in the oven. Knowing Vivi, she probably planned on the Pirate King sneaking in to taste test the whole meal before everyone else. "It's not like you to arrived late, Luka-sama~!"

Nami stared at him with narrowed eyes, "She arrives at last second whatever she's needed." She was mostly talking about the captain's tendency to have a grand entrance in the middle of the heat.

"Everything but food," Robin added with a slight chuckled, "Though I believe it's that everyone is early."

Vivi nodded at her former enemy, swirling a strand of her hair. "I pride myself in figuring out Luka-san." Remembering the time she figured out the three day, two year code and Luka's plans at Fishman Island. "Even though she is a woman of many mysteries." Luka, paying little concentration on the chat, rushed herself into the seat at the opposite end, with Zoro to her left and Brook at her right.

Usopp made sure to pick the closest one to Vivi, having a small hope Luka wouldn't try anything with Vivi in the area, right? Usopp could only hope so or else this wonderful feast would turn into a spoiled event for him. Across from him was Nami, and next to her was Chopper. The others seated themselves according, with Robin and Franky close to Luka's end, and Sanji near Vivi's.

Oh, how much the maids started gossiping from the sight of the chef, and now they had this to chatter about. "Even we don't understand her most of the time," the orange haired sighed into her hand.

Within minutes, the servants began filling the table up with all kinds of foods. The Queen started slicing a good portion onto her plate, while the others either grabbed it or plucked it off the plate with their fork. Not all pirates had a Queen's manners. They ate with side chatter, with Luka and Brook arguing on if a desert was the same thing as a beach. Nami and Vivi talked about the good times, and girl gossip, with Sanji commenting on the side. The chef was in-between their conversation and talking to Robin and Franky over Alabasta and what sights should they visit.

Zoro stayed mostly to himself, but whenever he had something to say, he would boast it loud enough for those on the other side to hear. Usopp was busied with slapping a certain hand away from his plate, while Chopper watched with a huge, childish smile, keeping a nice view of his own plate as well.

The talking slowly died down as the plates began to empty, leaving them to eat in a pleasant silence. One that was only broken by the Queen's fork rolling to the ground. She picked it back up, sitting it to the side and using another. Using this interruption, she looked across the table at Luka, whose stomach was swollen from tonight's feast. "I can't help but to wonder, but what are your plans now?" In her eyes, everyone has achieved their goal they settled out to see through, but now with that endless amount of freedom, what did they do to spend it?

The others paused in their chewing, waiting to hear the answer as well. They had little to no direction other than re-visiting the islands. What would come after that? Are they staying as a crew? What about their relationships outside of the ship, as well as those on the inside? None of them really had plans now other than achieving their full potential, which would take a lifetime to complete. "I'm kinda tired," Luka let out a huge yawn, patting her stomach. Their heads dropped, leaving the room in utter silence. "Uh..." Vivi raised her finger, "I was talking more so about your adventure on the seas. Where are you planning on going next?"

"Oh, Water Seven," she nodded, thinking that was the next island from here.

"And then what?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. There went their hopes that the captain had a plan. And Vivi could only nod, seeing as though this was the best possible answer that Luka could have given. What was she expecting? Luka to call it quits and head back home? The Pirate King spent the last few years defeating every trouble that came her way, that enemies fled instead of face her. Of course she had her fair share of rookies appearing to challenge her to her title, but it was ended effortlessly.

"Should we prepare a home base?" Franky suggested. He always thought about it, but this was best opening he had to address it.

"Isn't that the Thousand Sunny though?" Usopp questioned out loud. He couldn't possibly see themselves staying on land. And how was it suppose to stay guarded when they were out at sea. It was the Pirate King's property, full of riches and so on, it will draw greed from everyone, as well as have the chance of marines using it as a trap.

"It would be a nice side project, plus we can have our own tavern."

Nami's eyes widen at that idea. Vivi quickly noticed and commented, "You still get interested at the mention of money... Even though you guys have a ship full of treasure."

"And you're still interested in peace, even though you have quieted all of Alabasta. There's always more, you know." The navigator mostly say this in tease, seeing as how Vivi was a fiery spirit when war was on the tongue. Luka, holding her head low, nodded at the idea.

"Sounds fun, but it will never be the Thousand Sunny." If that's what they want to do, then they had all of the freedom in the world to do so. But her life will always be at sea. "It doesn't have to do," Franky say, with a smugness tone, "I have already thought of a name for it, the New Battle Franky Barrel Castaway Hut!"

Robin, looked over at him, suggesting, "Or the Throne to the Seven Shadows?"

"Seven? But there's ten of us," Usopp countered her.

"Well, seven is an important number throughout history. And ten doesn't exactly fit with the name."

Zoro picked something out of his teeth, "Octopuses' Pass."

"That's eight!"

Sanji raised his finger, "Paradise of the Three Saints?"

"Ten," Usopp raised his fingers, counting them off one by one.

"But you guys aren't saints," the blond say bluntly. "That's why there are three."

"Does anyone on this crew know how to count?!" Usopp fall back into his chair, almost down with this whole discussion.

"Pirate's Den?"

Everyone, with the exception of Sanji, Vivi and Luka, looked at Nami, "Too boring."

Luka stayed to herself most of this discussion, glancing into their eyes as they talked about their new plans. She could see it in their eyes, curiosity about what fates had in planned for them. Of starting a life of their own, of not being the same old Strawhat Pirate. Though they gave that lifestyle when they joined her along for their adventure, there was still a small hope of settling down somewhere.

Of having a stabled life at this all happened. Where would they all go?

Her mind started to mindlessly wonder as she chewed on the meat sticking out of her mouth. She couldn't see them going back to their peaceful lives, at least not yet. But they all needed, and wanted, a life of their own. Though they saw each other as family, they would want their own little family to start. Especially since no one on this crew had parents, they would want to be the best parents they could for their own child.

But what about herself?

If she wasn't dying, she would still travel the seas, chasing one legend after the next. Who says that Pirate King was the end goal? That after that, she would have nothing else to do. Life wasn't about boredom, and she was going to make sure that hers wasn't filled of it

...

They were all asleep inside of the castle. Luka watched from the outside wall, seeing the candle lights flicker out. All throughout the city did the same. She was on a midnight stroll through the sand domes. She should have been leaving now, heading to the shore in wait of the marine ship, but her memories stopped her from going. How many years ago was it when she was battling on these very sands?

When she was only a new pirate, fresh out of the den. All of her fights were challenging then, where she always headed into danger and somehow, against all odds, she ended up having the last breath. Crocodile was one of the first villains that brought her strength out. She was strong compared to East Blue, training whenever she could, but when she was on the Grand Line for the first time, she was in a whole different match.

Her thoughts guided her into the sands paved with broken columns. This was where they had their last fight, where she and the King was saved by the enemy-soon-friend. Where she was slashed at, poisoned by Crocodile's hook, unable to keep going until she bit back the last of her strength.

Luka stood there, in the middle of the night, staring at the sand as it told its own version of the story. Of how she was poisoned and Robin came with the cure. Of how Robin was betrayed in this very location by her former employer. Of how the girl had no real connections before she and Luka met.

Luka and Robin had an unusual relationship compared to the others, from the very start. Of course, she had some old enemies in her crowds of comrades, but Robin was a different case. She joined the crew on her own record, while Luka had to scout and annoy others to join. The lady saw Luka as hope in her darken days, the first time that she probably every relied on someone else. And even though Robin was an enemy, she saved Luka twice while they were out here, when she was down to her last breath in these shifting lands.

The Pirate King looked at the ground, it was during this visit that she was able to get such a crew member, but she thought the same for the others. A hand gripped on her shoulder, over her wounds, and she let out a nasty yip. Withering herself around, she came face to face to Robin, who looked unpleasant in the moonlight. "Robin?" Luka muttered the name thought clenched teeth.

Her brain racked for a reason on why the girl was there in the first place, did she come here to remember as well, or did she hear Luka sneaking out? Did she notice Luka's strange behavior at dinner?

The other woman only stood there silently, looking at the place she touched, scanning Luka's whole body for any clues. To her, Luka was the symbol of her hope, but now she thought something differently. She remembered their hidden meetings, discussing about Luka behind her back. She had no memory of Luka acting this way before, as she was always blunt and down to earth, not easily frighten.

Something was in fact wrong, and Luka knew it well and kept it hidden.

Robin moved steadily in front of her captain, and raised the long sleeve over the shoulder. There she saw the hidden patchwork of discolored flesh, as though it was rotting away.

She gulped, taken aback by this gruesome sight, and her eyes traveled to look into Luka's eyes. Anything, such as an explanation or reasoning. Why hasn't she gone to Chopper? Why hasn't she say anything beforehand?

Luka's eyes widen, her thoughts flashed before her, and the first thing she done was raised her hand and batted Robin away from her. She spent the whole time in order to keep it away from her friends, and now that was lost.

Turning her back on the comrade, she ran into the night. Her actions were on impulses only.

No one was suppose to know her secret.

If they did, they would stop her.

If they stopped her, then nothing would have changed.

She couldn't allow that to happen. Her death was suppose to end all conflicts and they were suppose to have one last happy memory of her. Not of this, of this betrayal.

"LUKA!" Robin's voice echoed.

Arms shot out of the ground, trying to grab onto Luka's legs, but the rubber girl jumped over the field of limbs.


	4. Chapter 4

Robin raced through the castle's hallways, sliding on the carpets and slamming into the corners as she tried to reach their floor to warn the others quickly before Luka was out of their range. Her eyes were widen, full of concern and so on for their captain, even though something was wrong.

Her shoulder.

That image stayed inside of Robin's mind. Of the rotten flesh, the sickly colors, and of the veins that stuck out unlike any others that she has seen before. Yet that wasn't the only thing that felt off. It was the way that she stared at her when Robin lifted up the sleeve. Those eyes that flashed a force of fright and caution. And this was aimed at her own crew member.

Her legs started to wobble as she stumbled to the tenth floor of the building. By now the servants were running away, some who did not know the noise looked at others for answers and some were searching for the Princess. Finally, Robin pushed past the door and went inside of the long hallway that had rooms for guests, these were where the Strawhats were resting for the night.

"She's gone! Luka ran away!" She shouted through the hallway. There were some groans, squeals, and some snoring. The light sleepers raced out of their bedroom and looked at the source of the noise. Their minds, still asleep, looked at Robin puzzling.

"Wha-? What do you mean?" It was Sanji who stood in front of her, his hand on the doorframe, trying to balance himself from his quick startup. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, glancing over at the others who finally came out, Nami, Brook, and Chopper.

"I saw Luka-san leaving, and I followed. She headed to the desert, and I tried talking to her. She… There's something wrong with her shoulder. She knew that I saw, and she ran for it. Into the south."

"Into the desert? What's out in the desert? What's wrong with her shoulder? Why did she leave?" Chopper's head switched from one side to the others, hoping for the others to answer his million questions.

"The place where she fought Crocodile. That's where I found her. I touched her shoulder and she squealed, and then I saw what was underneath… Her arm is decaying."

Finally Zoro opened his door and looked at the gang that was crowded outside, glaring at them, he growled, "What the hell is going on?"

"Zoro, this is no time acting like a bastard!" Nami shouted at him, "Luka's gone!"

By now, after all of the shouting, Franky and Usopp joined the crowd, each of them puzzled at the commotion by didn't say a word as Sanji kicked open the door that was supposed to be Luka's. Inside, the bed was unmade. It didn't even look like she sit down in the bed, for there wasn't a single crest.

It was then that the realization shined down on them.

Luka meant to leave.

She stood in this room until everyone fell asleep, and left.

It wasn't a panicked run from shock seeing Robin, but preplanned. Maybe even before they landed in Alabasta.

It wasn't long until the whole city was lite alight with guards scouting the city for any hints of the missing Queen. The Queen who left in search of the Pirate King.

Luka could be anywhere within this desert. And unlike them, she didn't have the necessary supplies to survive in the desert sands. All they knew was that she was south.

At least that was the general direction they could assumed.

…

Southeast of the border, a girl with redden skin crawled out of the dunes, right in front of a wandering merchant who squealed in fright. The merchant stopped his cart, and laid her body in the back, under the shields of the canvas, yet on the harden floorboards that creped with her weight, and the barrels that slammed against her with every uphill. He quickly turned his course around, heading to the closest city in order to receive some help for this girl. And a reward.

His camel groaned as he sped up the pace, ordering it back onto the old trail, where they took many times before, as well as other wandering visitors in these parts.

It wasn't for long before he started hearing noises in the back, thinking she must be awake, he shifted backwards and opened a small hand-cut window and looked inside. The girl was lying against the corner, facing away from him. That was the most stable part of the cart, unlike the back two corners where there was no boards to keep them in. Only a rope kept the boxes and barrels in line.

"Good evening there, gal!" he hollered behind him.

"It's evening?" Luka leaned her head forward, stopping it from banging on the back board, and moaned. The events of last night came to her in a blur. Desert. Robin. Arms.

"You must have been travelin' all night," he assumed, "May want to bring supplies, and the right cloth, next time."

If there was a next time.

Due to her lack of response, he continued, "We're heading to Duzzar."

Was that her destination? She had no answer. In her note, she only say Southwest, or was it Southeast? They knew that she had no hopes of running away, so if she was late, there was nothing to worry about. On their part, but not hers.

That was one of the letters she sent, the other one being to Law. In her heart, she knew she had no control over what happened on Law's ship, but she still held responsible in sending one last message, even though it wrote her death in stone instead of giving any type of mercy.

As she shifted over the wood planks, she noticed a new pain. It wasn't the pain that she gotten used to, but an uncomfortable strain that ached her body. At least it eased her mind off the first sensation, which was slowly getting worst as the days passed. Out of curiosity, she lifted her sleeve, thinking back to last night as Robin did the same thing. She couldn't exactly see it from a good angle, but she was certain there was no good angle at all. Her veins was popping out on the surface of her arm, in a sour color.

Even though she hasn't had it checked, this arm was good as gone.

It was the arm that she fought back Arlong's attack, the arm that pulled reached the top of Drum Mountain first.

But now it was a piece of useable flesh.

Beneath her shirt, she could see that the colored veins started forming along her chest. And soon her body will only be a sack of useable flesh as well.

"Quiet back there, ain't cha? Usually gals are nonstop with their gossiping, yet I barely heard a word from ya."

"I guess," she signed, holding her hand out above one of the barrels and peeking inside.

"There should be a satchel back there somewhere," he said, hearing the noises from the cart.

And they continued riding in that small cart until a village appeared over the horizon. He slowed the pace, giving his camel a small break while Luka went on, against his protests. Yet he wasn't exactly yelling at her stubbornness, but as soon as he noticed all of his stock gone, he had other problems to attend to.

Duzzar, a city created for the soul purpose of being a main port, who soon found out that dream wasn't welcomed. Now it was a small town, using what small resources they had. At the ports, only two ships were docked, one Luka guessed was the Merchant's, while the other seemed smaller in size and unpolished from decades of trailing the seas.

There was no signs of the marines.

They should have been here, or at least come soon. It was a surprise this whole island wasn't on lockdown for the news of the Pirate King being here, but maybe this was what Coby wanted. Instead of having people glorifying her death, like they did with Roger's, he wanted it more ordinary yet still sudden.

Yet now this whole island would learn the news about the Pirate King disappearing, and soon it would spread.

Everyone seemed to notice her presence, yet there was no indication they actually knew who she was. She wore no strawhat, which was how people came to recognize her.

A strawhat.

Ordinary from an average's person view, but now it was tied to piracy that even normal farmers changed hats to fabric ones. Even though a Pirate King now ruled, no one wanted to mess with the Marines with any simple ties like that.

It was an icon shifted from one generation to the next, only bringing more infamous deeds with it. Whoever wore it next would be suspension from the start, unable to get a grasp in the world unless if they took it by brute force from the very beginning, though Luka wasn't sure that's how she wanted the future to go. There was only one place that strawhat can rest, and it wasn't on someone's head. Hopefully she could count on her crew to make sure that it gotten back to its rightful owner. Even in the end, she was only a borrower.

 **Well, I don't really have much to say here... Sorry for the long waits. Had to retire my old laptop...and I'm messing with new programs because I'm too cheap to buy Microsoft Word.**


	5. Chapter 5

Smoker stood there at the dock, with the cigars in his mouth, and scanned the area. None of his guards stepped into the city. No, Smoker was waiting for her to appear by herself, one on one, with him. He saw no point in locking the city down and regulating everyone through, because there would be more importance on her giving herself up than him dragging her by force. At least that's what Coby lectured over and over.

Though no one but himself and Coby would say it, but it was Luka's influence that helped reshape the Pirates and World Government, more in particular, the Marines. They all want to showcase this whole event, but in truth, it should be isolated, yet clear-cut. Coby gotten it all finalized, compromising with his beliefs and theirs.

The whole thing still didn't stick right with the admiral. Luka could have waited until she was an old woman before getting executed, and he was sure that it wasn't because she wanted to die with a pretty face. This whole operation sounded fishy to him, just like what happened with Gol D. Roger. Why was she following his exact steps? Reincarnation or some shit like that?

All he could do was stand there and wait for her to come, just like she wrote in her letter. Which was oddly familiar, as if she held no palms about dying.

Tashigi appeared behind him, with her glasses on the tip of her nose as she rewrite her copy of the letter, marking everything she could find as if it held a secret clue. "Do you suppose it's a trap?"

"Strawhat is straightforward, why the heck would she do that?"

The woman shrugged, and settled down next to him, now he could see exactly what she marked. Words were underlined, lines pointed to the side with comments, questions marks above some of the scratchy words.

"You're not going to find anything."

"How do we know it's her, and not a trick?"

"It's her," Smoker blankly stated. It had her familiar tone, and how could it get pass Garp, Coby, and himself if it was forged by someone else? No one could perfect her idiotic and whimsical feeling, nor how the paper look like it was wrote in two seconds with a ripped edge, and overlapping letters. One thing for sure, it did feel like it was re-written over and over, with how forced the sentences were.

She gave up on arguing with him. Like him, she felt like this whole thing was fishy, but she placed the blame on the letter instead of Luka's intentions.

And as if the Pirate Queen heard her name being discussed, there she stood on the dock, staring at them with somewhat harden eyes.

"Strawhat Luka."

"Smokey." She gave him a small nod.

The two met in the middle, right in front of the ship where people could stare and wonder. "At this point, there is no return. Are all of your goodbyes final?"

"As final as they can be."

"Will we be followed?"

She nodded once more, "Didn't go as planned."

"Nothing ever does with you," he paused, "Any last wishes? Any unfinished adventures? Any regrets?"

"Can't we get this over with?"

Smoker couldn't do anything else, other than finalizing the agreement with a handshake, clasping the handcuffs on her wrists, and leading her onto the ship. Once there, Tashigi wrapped her hand on the handcuffs and lead her to the assigned seat until they gotten to the base. They were below deck, where no passing allies would see her and attack.

"Do I really have to wear these?" Luka moaned.

"Until this ride is over."

"I won't try escaping."

"Like all pirates say." Smoker was quick to say that, but in his mind he knew that Luka was the complete opposite of that fact. He shook his head, "Fine, but you have to sit in front of me."

She nodded as Tashigi pulled off the handcuffs, and Luka changed seats.

Smoker didn't like this setup at all. This wasn't the same Pirate Queen that he was used to seeing, the one that would rather fight than be captured. Yet there she was seated, glancing around the room at the numerous buttons.

Smoker didn't like this at all.

...

"Is...is that Law's ship?" Usopp whispered to the others.

The Thousand Sunny was docked a good mile away from the shore, and a little behind that, was the yellow submarine.

Franky tried to shush the sniper, pointing to a figure on their deck. "Looks like we have an intruder on board."

"Law?" Nami whispered back.

"Of course it's Law," Sanji rolled his eyes.

They headed into the shores and back onto the Sunny, where they were greeted by Bepo, who was standing as guard yet didn't even notice them when they came on board.

Nami stared at the bear in annoyance, "We have no time for this. Why are you here and what do you want?"

"Before you start nagging, come and look," Law called from inside the ship. They all glanced at each other before following. The door to the captain's room was opened, and they could see Law inside. He stood in front of Luka's bed with items spread out. He didn't even turn around as they entered. "These are for you."

On the bed, was eight notes. Each had a small message on them.

 _'Zoro, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Nami, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Franky, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Chopper, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Usopp, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Sanji, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Brook, I'm sorry...'_

 _'Robin, I'm sorry...'_

"Luka..." Zoro shook his head.

"Where did you find these?" Robin questioned.

"I came here looking for you guys, and that's when I noticed the first note laying in the kitchen. Bepo found the rest. And I'm sure that she has others hidden somewhere." He shook his head and left the room. In that brief flash, they could see the dark lines under his eyes, the hollowness of his cheeks. The crew quickly followed behind him, back on deck.

"We have to follow her," Law said, "Before it's too late."

Zoro took a step forward, "What do you know about this?"

Law didn't say a word at first, only staring at Zoro with silence filling the air. He raised his wrist up to his mouth as if to wipe something away, and uttered, "Everything."

"Explain. Now." Nami demanded from the other captain.

"She always wanted to follow in Roger's footprints...even now."

This time, it was Vivi who said something. "You couldn't mean..." His execution was her unspoken words.

He nodded, "And we don't have that much time."


	6. Chapter 6

June 21

Smoker, Ronse and Tashigi headed to the middle of the dock. In between the three of them, was a handcuffed Pirate King. On the other side of the dock was Coby and the other Admiral, Helmeppo.

Lightning stroke a mile away from their location; rain drizzled out the sounds of their footsteps. The only light on this darken day was the lighthouse that stood against the cliff. The waves washed against the dock's pillars brutally, making the path shakily with each and every step.

Coby tried calling out to the marines, but his voice was unheard from the thunder. To the others, it was only a muffle; while to Luka, it was only drip...drip...drip...

They meet in the center of the dock. Coby raised his hand out to gesture towards Luka. From his line of vision, she was hidden behind the three guards.

This was the moment that the creators spoke up.

A lightning bolt flashed before them, breaking the dock into shattered pieces. And they went down.

The waves swipe them under. It was the devil fruit users who were the first to go down, leaving the others in search of land as well as Smoker and Luka. Their names were shouted out into the sea, and the guards on watch saw the disaster, and started calling orders to retrieve the fallen.

Everything just changed to her. One moment she was sailing away on Smoker's ship, and now she was under waters with handcuffs weighing her down. Even if the handcuffs were gone, she still didn't know if she would try to get away.

No matter what road she chose, they all ended with her in the grave.

That's when she felt a hand, pushing against her shoulder to the surface. Water lodged itself in her throat, and when she saw the sky again, she blanked out. A rope was hosted down by the guards and Coby brought her up. Tashigi and the others were still searching for Smoker.

"Sorry…" He whispered to Luka before playing her body in their hands. "Take her to the tower! And bring in the nurse!"

…

The guard shouted through the ranks, "Remove all metals and weapons! Place ID's out on display!"

There were hundreds, no, thousands of citizens trying to push their way into the guarded field. Reporters, noblemen, kings, and even some sympathizers filled the cramped space in await of the Head Admiral.

And there was their group. A party of ten, all with shrouds, grouped in the midst of this madness. This was the Strawhats and their two allies. The group was pushed forward, but once they heard about the ID's, none of them wanted to dare move once more.

And only one person actually knew what she was doing here. Queen Vivi, next in line, took out her card and shown the guard. "My council was never told this was needed."

"Can't come in."

"They are with me, Princess Vivi."

"And?"

"I will do whatever it takes to get inside."

"That's what they all say."

She pulled out a purse of coin, "Here."

The purse was pushed in his hands, and before he had time to look inside, the group of hood already disappeared inside with the others. "Wait! You bastards!" He quickly shut his mouth, remembering that every guard here would notice something was out of line, especially when he had a purse of coin. "And they could be carrying weapons for all I know…Shit…"

Nami smiled at Vivi, "Looks like you finally found something useful."

"It was necessary, nothing more."

Sanji took out one of his cigarettes and glanced around. Everyone was crowding around the stage before them, with wooden cuffs and two guards who looked like executers. "I don't like the feeling of this at all."

Nami shook her head, "It's too… similar to Ace's…" She wasn't for sure if the others saw the broadcast, but she did once she found the newspaper. "I don't think I can stand to watch this… It's sickling."

"Wouldn't it be disrespectful to not?"

"I just…" She swallowed, "I don't think I can manage to see Luka like that…"

"We're all here for you."

Above the small stage was a screen that read down the time. Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds.

The crew could only stand there, all together, and watch as each second click down. It was silent between them, because words couldn't form in their mouths. Not in a time like this. Every time they blinked, the time seemed to jump thirty seconds ahead. Until finally, there was only five seconds left.

The screen lite up, the seconds appeared in the corner, while the main screen shown a cement room. The only light in this room was the single dim bulb overhead, that seemed to swing with each movement. There was a blank window on the opposite wall, only showing the outlines of what seemed to be a door.

Luka.

She sat in a hay-filled bed, and watched the light above her. Her fingers clicked against the small table, tick-tocking to the time of her death. Across from the table was a small stool.

It was a prisoner's room.

When the timer flashed to one, the door opened up and Coby walked inside. There was no other guards or anyone, only him and a tray of two teacups and a teapot.

Inside the room, Coby said, "Hello Luka-san."

"Coby?" She wuestioned, lifting herself out of the bed.

He laid the drinks out on the table, filling hers half-full, as well as his. "Who would have thought we would have met again like this?"

"You're not the same Coby."

"Hu- I'm not?"

"No," she shook her head, adjusting herself in front of the table.

He took the stool and crossed his hands in front of his chest. "Many people has waited for this moment. The marines believe this will change everything."

She denied it, saying, "The only thing that will change is me."

"Just for your warning, we are being watched by thousands." He nodded his head to the snail in the corner. "They can only see us, but if you have anything to say to them, I will allow it."

"Actually, I do."

Coby placed a dial out, and pressed the further-right button. "You may now speak."

"Dreams… are meant to be accomplished no matter what."

Coby waited a few seconds before asking, "Is that all?"

"And…" She looked towards the snail, "I'm sorry." She turned back to him, setting her cup back onto the table, "Turn it off now."

"Whatever you wish." He pressed it once more, and all noise for the audience was gone. Their conversation was now theirs. "I was surprise when I gotten your letter."

"I don't send letters that much." She completely missed the point that he was talking about.

"Why now? You could have grown old and be labeled as not a threat."

"It's better this way, isn't it?"

"In all seriousness… it isn't." He took something out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "I should've know I couldn't do this… but it felt like my responsibility. This is a pill, once you swallow it, your heart will crease to beat. You may take this at any time."

"I thought I was getting executed."

"This is the least cruel of ways." He sighed to himself and shook his head, "The only reason why I've gotten this far with you was by persuading the council that this would appease the citizens. Otherwise, we would have been out there… right where Ac-"

"Stop."

"I'm sorry." Even now he felt like a complete goon. "I just don't know what to say, that is all."

She took the pill in her hands and looked at the small numbers. All she had to do was swallow it. Nothing more, nothing less, and everything would be gone. "Thank you, Coby."

"There's no need to thank ME, out of all people! What about them? Your crew members? And Garp-san?"

"I… I have nothing else to say to them. They all know how I feel."

"… Any regrets?"

"None."

"Goodbye Luka…"

"Turn it on." She gestured to his small device, and he did so.

She looked right into the camera, right at the people who were now watching this event unfold. And then she swallowed the pill.

"Goodbye Coby, and Zoro, Franky, Sanji…Brook, Chopper, Robin…Law, nami…usopp…"

"Goodnight Pirate King."

The pain in her shoulder vanished. Her sense of touch was gone. She couldn't feel anything, just the warmth of darkness. Her eyes closed, and her lips formed into a smile.

…

The Strawhats could only stand there. When they heard their names, it sent a chill down their spines. Some of them busted into cries and tried contain it by hugging themselves, while others could only watch as the moment went on.

Robin finally turned her eyes away, holding her arms against her chest. Her teeth bite her bottom lip, and she wasn't the only one. Nami, unable to contain it any longer, dropped to her knees. Chopper stood there with tears running down his cheeks, dripping against the pavement. Franky tried covering it up behind his sunglasses, but the waterfall kept going. Brook, unable to express his emotions, dropped his head down, firmly grasping his cane.

Sanji clawed himself, trying not to break down in this moment. Blood almost opened on the palm of his hands. Law swiftly turned around, positioning his hat lower than before. Zoro crossed his arms and kept watching, as a way of respect to the dead. Usopp hide his face behind his hands, wishing that he was seeing something else, anything other than this. Vivi broke down, and cried on Sanji's shoulders, gripping onto his sleeve for dear life.

Everyone had their own reaction to the Pirate King's death, but it hit the hardest those who were the closest.

Luka was their Pirate King, the one and only.

And soon everyone knew of the consequences of her death, but that only made it worst for the Strawhats. And their newfound freedom came at a price. They all still question about her shoulder, but those who truly know about it, will not say a word.

They all told themselves that Luka was forever living; forever surrounded by friends and brothers alike; forever theirs… People only die when they are forgotten, but no one could forget their King.

And so ends the tale of the Pirate King Monkey D. Luka.

 **Yes, I know, this is completely different, but at the same time similar, to my last ending of Wanted Woman. I don't have much to say about it, but since I started rewriting this, I wanted a more closed ending. In Roger's execution, everyone was rallied by what he said, so when Coby learned about this deal, he had to use these tactics in order to get the council on his side, unless if they wanted another generation of pirates. This was mostly connected to the theory of what One Piece is actually, so that means there is no big reward for the next generation to turn into pirates, other than treasures, of course.**

 **Well, thanks everyone who has read this far! I know this story was updated slowly…but I just want a cheery story at the moment. I mean, this is the second one I've been writing with planned death… and it kinda starts to bring you down, you know.**


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